Product Compliance Resources provided by ProductIP

2021-02-19

LEDS, Toys, EN 62115

Disclaimer: This document provides guidance and is not a legally binding interpretation and shall therefore not be relied upon as legal advice.

LEDS AND LASERS

EN 60825-1 and EN 62471

The radiation hazards of lasers are described in standard EN 60825-1. Originally EN 60825-1 (issue 1994) also covered LEDs, but after the introduction of EN 62471 in 2008, the 2007 issue of EN 60825-1 no longer included LEDs.
So since September 2011 the requirements for lasers are stated in EN 60825-1; and the safety requirements for LEDs in EN 62471.

Photo-biological safety

EN 62471 gives guidance for evaluating the photo-biological safety of lamps including LEDs but excluding lasers. It specifies the exposure limits, test methods and classification. Besides the thermal hazard (retinal burn) it also describes other risks such as the blue light hazard (BLH). Damage can be caused to the eye and the skin. The classification has four groups: Exempt group (no hazard), Risk Group 1 (Low- Risk), Risk Group 2 (Moderate-Risk) and Risk Group 3 (High-Risk).

Laser classes

The 2014 version of EN 60825-1 provides details of the labelling that is required for lasers. The label is dependent on the classification:
Class 1: this class is eye-safe under all operating conditions.

Class 1M: safe for viewing directly with the naked eye, but may be hazardous to view with the aid of optical instruments.

Class 2: safe for accidental viewing under all operating conditions. However, it may not be safe for a person who deliberately stares into the visible laser beam for longer than 0,25 seconds.

Class 2M: safe for accidental viewing with the naked eye, as long as the natural aversion response is not overcome as with Class 2, but may be hazardous (even for accidental viewing) when viewed with the aid of optical instruments, as with class 1M.

Class 3R: Radiation in this class is considered low risk, but potentially hazardous. The limit for Class 3R is five times the limit for Class 1 (invisible radiation) or Class 2 (visible radiation). Continuous wave visible lasers emitting between 1 and 5 mW are normally Class 3R.

Class 3B: Radiation in this class is very likely to be dangerous. For a continuous wave laser the maximum output into the eye must not exceed 500mW. The radiation can be a hazard to the eye or skin. However, viewing of the diffuse reflection is safe.

Class 4: This is the highest class of laser radiation. Radiation in this class is very dangerous, and viewing of the diffuse reflection may be dangerous. Class 4 laser beams are capable of setting fire to materials onto which they are projected.

 Danger laser images

Deviation for toys has ended

EN 62115
For electrical toys the safety requirements are mentioned in standard EN 62115. The 2005 edition of EN 62115 still referred to EN 60825-1 for LED’s. But after the publication of successor EN IEC 62115:2020 this deviation is no longer the case. The 2020 edition of EN 62115 refers to EN 62471 for LED’s and the requirements are now aligned for toys.

Decision 2014/59/EU

On 5 February 2014 an EU Decision was published about the safety requirements for lasers in consumer products within the framework of the General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC. It differentiates between common consumer laser products and child appealing consumer laser products.

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